So I Swear
by LegendaryWrighter
Summary: A concerned Cedric Diggory visits Harry after falling during their Quidditch match. Their relationship of mutual respect for each other develops quickly into something more. How will it affect them both in the Tri-Wizard Cup? Warning: YAOI, BOYXBOY. Don't like? Move along then. Rated M for later chapters
1. Prologue

**Warning: This story contains Yaoi, BoyXBoy, Shounen-ai. If you are not a fan of this genre, then by all means, leave this page at once.**

**Rated M for: Strong Language, Sexual Themes, & Nudity**

**Main Pairing: CedricXHarry**

**Reason for writing: I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought that the look on Cedric's face when he told Harry that the prefect's bathroom for the second task, his expression screamed "I want to fuck you senseless."**

**Disclaimer: I do not own majority of the characters, places, and the series this story was built on. Like all others here, I simply borrow them from J.K. Rowling for my own amusement.**

**A/N: Hello loyal readers. I watched the Goblet of Fire again and helped me come up with the plot for this story. There'll be some parts which will be canonical rewrites, but I will try to stay on track with the original storyline. So, I hope you all enjoy.**

**So I Swear**

**Prologue**

Night time had fallen over Hogwarts and Harry was sound asleep in the infirmary, sore that he had lost his broom and the game because of the dementors. His friends had told him that Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff seeker and captain, asked for a redo, but Dumbledore did not want to risk another incident like that to happen. Unbeknownst to Madame Pomfrey, someone had entered the Hospital Wing and moved towards Harry's ward. Cedric Diggory had come to see how Harry was doing, hoping that the raven was still awake, but was disappointed. He sighed and approached the sleeping boy, and placed the several cards and sweets onto his nightstand. Although the Hufflepuff team was ecstatic to win the first game of the season, finding out the reason why made them all feel bad. Since they wouldn't have a rematch, Cedric got everyone to make cards and some even bought gifts for Harry. "Hello?" A voice mumbled and Harry put on his glasses and stared sleepily at his visitor. "Hello." Cedric said. "I came here to bring you these. They're from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team." "Thank you." Harry said as he saw the several boxes of candy and cards. "Um, who are you?" "Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff Quidditch captain and Seeker." Harry's eyes became wide and he looked down at his sheets. Cedric sat on the chair next to the bed. "Thank you." The younger boy said and surprised Cedric. "Thank you for asking to redo the match." "We didn't win on fair terms." The Hufflepuff stated. "And I'm sorry." "Sorry for what?" Harry asked with a confused expression. "I was so caught up in the game, so focused on winning that when everyone screamed louder, I thought it was cheering." Cedric said slowly, guilt was clear in his grey eyes. "It was only when I got the Snitch and turned around did I see you falling. If I hadn't been so competitive, maybe I could've…" Harry felt bad. He heard about Cedric; he was handsome, popular, intelligent and friendly. Now, someone as kind as him felt guilt over something he had no control of. "It's alright." The raven said. "Professor Dumbledore was able to save me and he was sure the dementors would stay out, they said he was furious after the match." "He was indeed. It was one of the scariest things I've ever seen in my life." Cedric pointed out with a smile and Harry smiled as well.

"So, what's it like, facing a dementor?" Cedric asked out of the blue. He and Harry had spent the past few minutes eating some of the sweets brought to him and talking about Quidditch. "I've read about them and we had a lecture not too long ago." "Dementors make us relive our worst memories. Our pain becomes their power." Harry said softly, remembering what Professor Lupin told him. "It's probably the worst thing I'll ever do." "And, if you don't mind me asking, what is that memory of yours?" Cedric asked. Harry looked at the older boy. He wondered why he felt some comfortable around him, why he was open to share everything with him, even though they just met. "It was the night my parents died." He said and Cedric placed the box of Bertie Bott's onto the nightstand. "I hear several faint explosions, must've been my father, fending off You-Know-Who, and then I hear my mother screaming." Without thinking, Cedric took Harry's hand and for some unknown reason, Harry didn't pull it away. "Do you want to know my worst memory?" Cedric asked, his hand still holding Harry's. "First a little background. Before I was eleven, my family lived in this Muggle neighbourhood. I had Muggle friends and went to a Muggle school. I was eight and it was the last day of school. I got seven out of eight A+'s. The other one was an A-, so I thought it was a still pretty good year." Harry nodded, but saw Cedric's face darkening. "My father didn't think so. When he saw that A-, he exploded. Yelled and…beat me." Cedric looked down, shaking slightly. Harry squeezed the older boy's hand, whispering comforting words. They were silent for a while, their hands giving comfort to one another. The Hufflepuff finally looked up, his grey eyes staring into Harry's green ones. Harry felt his heart skip a bit and mouth go dry. Suddenly, the curtain opened to reveal a very angry Madame Pomfrey. "Mr. Diggory, I gave you no permission to be here." She said. "I'm sorry Madame Pomfrey." Cedric said as he pulled away his hand. "It's just that…" "Professor Dumbledore sent him." Harry cut in and the other two stared at him. "He wanted to check up on me himself, but something came up. So he sent Cedric instead, right?" Cedric nodded and the mediwitch looked between them both. "Alright, just hurry up Mr. Diggory, it's nearly curfew." Madame Pomfrey said then left. The two students stared at each other for a while before chuckling. "So, I guess I'll see you around." Harry said. "Sure." Cedric said and winked before leaving.

**A/N: So what do you guys think? Good start? Should I continue? Would you like to see some other pairings if I did? Message away and I'll update soon.**


	2. Chapter 1: Outside Help

**A/N: And here's the second chapter. Just a few things; the first chapters will take place in the 3rd book and we'll probably move to the 4th book by the 8th or 9th chapter. Now, a short question for you my readers; would you like Cedric and Harry to be in a relationship soon? Just a question. Please answer me through PM or include your answer in the review if you're going to review the chapter anyway. I might just be swayed to make it happen, if enough people want it. So, that's all for now, enjoy!**

**Some thanks to the following people for their helpful feedback and encouraging words; geetac, NayNay2014, Bast Misao, Fae0306, Serenita Kou, and IllyriaDawn**

**Chapter 1: Outside Help**

Harry got out of the Hospital Wing the next day. Hermione and Ron filled him in on their homework and lessons. They were having lunch in the Great Hall when Harry glanced at the Hufflepuff table to see Cedric looking at him. The older boy smiled and winked and Harry looked down at his plate to hide his blushing cheeks. "Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked. She had been reading her books on Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Transfiguration, all of which were now stacked beside her plate. "Nothing." Harry replied. "I'm just bummed about all the homework I have to finish. Plus, I still have that essay on the werewolf." "Which reminds me, we need to go. Otherwise we'll be late for Potions." Ron pointed out. The trio gathered their stuff and headed for the door, with Harry at the back. Before exiting the Hall, Harry turned to look back at the Hufflepuff table to see Cedric still smiling and looking at him. The raven felt his face heat up and hurried to catch up with his friends.

This continued for the coming weeks; Harry would see Cedric looking at him in the Great Hall and would wink when he noticed the younger looking at him, they would sometimes pass each other in the corridors and Harry would feel Cedric's hand brush against his. It was Potions class and Harry was unfocused. He had nearly added the wrong ingredient which would've caused an explosion. Thankfully, Hermione had caught his attention. There was a knock on the door which caught the attention of the entire class, since it rarely happened. "What is it, Mr. Diggory?" Snape asked and majority of the girls, and Harry, looked towards the back. "Sorry to bother you professor, but Professor McGonagall wishes to see Mr. Potter now." Cedric said and Snape went over to Harry's and Ron's table. "You heard him, Potter. Gather your things and leave." Snape barked. Harry was more than happy to oblige, and he and Cedric were now walking side by side.

"What does Professor McGonagall want with me?" He asked. "Probably to talk about your broom, she was the one who got it for you, right?" Cedric replied and smiled at Harry. "How did you know?" Harry asked. "Well, the school didn't allow first years to join Quidditch teams, and you were made Seeker. And Professor McGongall was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team too when she was a student, but had to stop playing due to an injury. That's why she's so competitive when it comes to the Quidditch Cup." Cedric glanced at the other boy and smiled at his amazed expression. "And I may have overheard Sir Nicholas talk about it to the Fat Friar one evening." Both boys laughed and saw they had arrived. "Well, see you Harry." The Hufflepuff said and winked before leaving. Harry watched him until he turned the corner and entered the Transfiguration classroom.

Harry had received a message from Hermione to meet her in the library without Ron. The two met and sat on a table. "Harry, you've been spacing out lately and seem more distracted than normal." Hermione pointed out. "Is everything all right?" "Yeah, I've just been bummed out about my broom." Harry replied, but he saw that Hermione didn't believe him. "And the dementors." Hermione looked around then back at Harry. "Does it have something to do with your personal life?" She asked and smiled when Harry's eyes widened. "How did you?" "Woman's intuition. So, what's up?" Harry looked at his friend, then out to the window. "I don't know how to explain it, 'Mione, but I could really use some help." Harry admitted and saw his friend smiling. She stood and gestured for him to follow. They went in deeper into the library and stopped near the Restricted Section.

They approached a table at the corner, where one student was sitting alone, reading a book. He had fair skin, a slightly narrow and pointed face. He had short black hair which was combed to one side and amber eyes, which hid behind silver rectangular glasses. One of the things Harry noticed was the Slytherin emblem on his robe. He shut the book and looked at the pair of Gryffindors. "Hello Hermione." He said in a soft voice and Harry looked at his friend with a confused expression. "Harry, this is Joseph Duskgem, a Slytherin in our year." Hermione said and the other male nodded. "I heard about him from the other girls. They said that he helped each of them, even people from the other houses with advice, whether it was on academics or personal stuff. He even helped me loads of times." She bent closer to Harry's ear. "More specifically, when he told me where I could find Crabbe and Goyle without Malfoy last year." She whispered. "So what seems to be the problem?" Joseph asked, his face was expressionless, as were his eyes. "Harry needs some advice." Hermione replied. "He's been very distracted lately and it's affecting his work." The Slytherin looked between the two, and then stopped at Hermione again. "You know this is the reason why I moved back here." He said with a sigh. "But I guess I can use this opportunity to pay you back." Hermione nodded and left them.

The two males looked at each other for a while, Harry looked nervous while Joseph remained as expressionless as he was when they arrived. "Academic or personal problem?" The Slytherin asked suddenly. "P-Personal." Harry replied and watched the boy sigh. "How did you meet Hermione?" Harry asked. "It started with two idiots from Ravenclaw." Joseph said. "They were a table away from me and bickering over their essay. Both of them were wrong so I went towards the shelves, got the book on the topic and slammed it onto their table before returning to my reading. They'd finally shut up and before they left, stopped in front of me. I think they said 'thank you.' Soon, more Ravenclaws came and approached me, and I helped them, asking help on subjects from Potions to Transfiguration. Then people from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor came. I met Hermione last year, needing help for her research on Polyjuice potion." "And why do you help these people? I mean, they're not even in your House." Harry pointed out. "We may belong to different Houses, but we still belong to the same school." Joseph replied. "If someone is willing to listen and learn, who am I to deny them?"

"So, how did you start answering personal problems?" Harry asked. "It started with Pansy Parkinson." Joseph said, his face now showed annoyance. "We were here, studying for an upcoming test and she kept complaining about how Draco wouldn't pay attention to her, and who could blame him? She was whiny, annoying and needy." Harry smiled; he never thought that somebody would bash their own housemate. "Draco said the exact same things about her. She was more annoying when he finally talked to her for more than a few minutes when that hippogriff scratched his arm. Anyway, I told her to get a clue and that Draco was not interested in her. She was so focused on Draco, she didn't notice the dozens of guys who flirted with her during breaks." Harry snickered and saw the Slytherin crack a small smile. "So, she got together with one of the guys I mentioned she'd be great with, then more of the girls from Slytherin came for advice. Then girls from the other Houses came and one time, there were five from each House. That's the reason why I moved here, if you get too noisy, books from the Restricted Section start screaming. It's terrifying, but totally worth it."

"So, why do a lot of people come to you for personal advice?" Harry asked. "I mean, no offense, but you don't seem like the type who's well adjusted to his emotions." "I'm not." Joseph replied. "I always base my advice on logic and rationality. I agree that things like emotions, feelings and love are far from rational, but it actually helps. I'm cold, calculating and harsh, but telling the bitter truth will be more helpful than sugar coating a terrible situation. I've made several people who were in terrible relationships cry because they knew I was right and I helped them find better ones. Some of them found better partners, the rest stayed single and enjoyed it. So if you're willing to trust me, and listen and understand what I have to say about your situation, then I can help you." Harry stayed silent for a while and looked out the window. He wondered if he could really trust this person. He's a Slytherin and he seemed close to Draco. _I guess if Hermione trusts him, then I can too. _He thought before looking at Joseph and nodding.


	3. Chapter 2: Snake in the Garden

**A/N: Here's a nice long chapter for ya'll******

**Chapter 2: Snake in the Garden**

Harry and Joseph hadn't discussed anything yet since Harry was afraid someone might hear them. Joseph told Harry he'd look for a private place and owl him the details. Hermione had asked how things went the next day at breakfast and Harry told her everything before thanking her for introducing him, but he still felt bad. He wanted to tell Hermione the truth, but he just wasn't sure how his friend would react. "When you're ready, you can tell me." She kept saying and it only made Harry feel worse. The raven was reading up for his History of Magic class when a folded paper landed on his book. He unfolded the paper and it said;

_Meet me at the library immediately after you finish dinner_

_-J.D._

Harry turned and saw Joseph walking towards the Great Hall's doors. He turned and glanced at Harry, who nodded and smiled. When Harry looked at the Hufflepuff table, he saw that Cedric wasn't smiling or looking at him. Following his gaze, Harry saw that the brunette was looking at the Slytherin who had just left him a message. "Hermione, can you cover for me with Ron later?" He asked and showed her the note. She nodded and the three walked towards their Defence Against the Dark Arts class.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

"I can't believe Snape substituted for Lupin again." Ron complained. "If this keeps up, we'll have him for two classes, which means double the points lost for Gryffindor per week." "You should've taken Arithmancy with me Ron." Hermione said jokingly and Harry chuckled while Ron rolled his eyes. Just as they turned the corner, the trio bumped into someone and they fell back. "Well, look who's as clumsy as they are untalented." A familiar annoying voice said. Harry looked up to see Draco Malfoy smirking down at him with Crabbe and Goyle at his side. "Say what you will Malfoy. I'm not the one making excuses so other people will have to do my work." Harry spat back. "Like father like son I guess." "How dare you." Draco said and pulled out his wand. Harry saw Cedric from the corner of his eye approaching them but before he got there, someone else had cut in. "Draco, you really shouldn't stress yourself over this lot." Joseph's quiet voice said and, surprisingly, made the blonde lower his wand. "Besides, you need to get to Madame Pomfrey for your weekly diagnostic." "You three are lucky I'm in a forgiving mood today." Draco said before turning on his heel. While Ron glared at the person who just helped him, Harry and Hermione gave Joseph thankful smiles, who nodded before turning to follow Draco and his goons. "Hey, you guys alright?" Cedric asked when he got there. "Yes we're fine, just Malfoy being Malfoy." Hermione said with a smile. "Ron, could you come with me? I need some help for an extra credit paper on Quidditch for History of Magic." Harry looked suspiciously at her, wondering if she knew, while Ron smiled, glad that Hermione asked him.

Harry and Cedric were now walking together towards the Great Hall for dinner. The scene with Malfoy made them late, so they were the only two in the corridor. "So, how've you been lately?" Cedric asked. "I've been fine, though the work that stacked up while I was in the Hospital Wing has been hell." Harry replied and smiled when he heard Cedric chuckle. "If you're free after dinner, maybe we could hang out?" Cedric asked and Harry wanted to say yes so bad, but he decided to get advice first before getting too close to the Hufflepuff. "Sorry, but I'm going to the library to reduce my workload." He said, hiding his disappointment. "I'll come with you and help. You'll get done in no time." The brunette stated. "Thank you, but Hermione's been encouraging me to work on my own." Harry lied. "She's afraid I might get too dependent on others." Cedric nodded and a flat line had replaced the smile on his lips. "I'm surprised Malfoy backed down." He said. "He usually never does that unless it's a teacher. That guy must be something special." "Yeah, he is. Although he spoke about Malfoy as if they were closer than just housemates." Harry said, making the taller teen glance at him. "You know this guy?" Cedric asked. "He was a friend of Hermione's long before. She just introduced us to each other recently." The Gryffindor said and he saw that they'd arrived at the Great Hall. "Well, see you around Cedric." Harry said with a smile but much to his disappointment, the brunette just nodded and headed for the Hufflepuff table, no smile or wink.

Harry sat on his place and stared at the Hufflepuff table. Cedric didn't smile for most of the evening; he would laugh when someone told him a joke or give a small fake smile to his friends. The worst part about it was that he hadn't looked at Harry, not even once. He kept his gaze down at his plate and it killed the Gryffindor. One of the things he loved during mealtimes was that he would look at Cedric and see his beautiful and happy grey eyes staring at him. Harry sighed and stood. "Harry, you've barely touched your food." Hermione called out to which Harry just shrugged and headed for the library, not knowing that the grey eyes he'd wanted to see all night finally looked at him.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

"You're early." A quiet voice said and Harry looked up to see Joseph. "I finished my dinner quickly." He lied. The Slytherin gestured Harry to follow him and they walked until they stopped in front of a large portrait of Merlin in a huge library. "What is the one good?" The Merlin in the portrait asked. "Knowledge." Joseph said in reply. "And the one evil?" Merlin immediately asked. "Ignorance." Joseph replied. Suddenly, a portion of the wall beside the painting had become a door. The two entered and went down a spiral staircase until they reached a circular room with several desks, a large fireplace with a couch and lounge chairs in front of it. "What is this place?" Harry asked. "A private room in the library." Joseph replied. "Most of the time, only teachers and students with permission from their Heads can use this room, but Madame Pince has allowed me full access since she and my mother were close when they studied here. Plus, she appreciates the help in silencing noisy students." They approached the couch and Harry saw that there was food on the coffee table. It was the food from dinner and a slice of Treacle tart, Harry's favourite. "Eat." Joseph said as he sat on one of the chairs. "But I already ate." Harry replied and the Slytherin just smirked at him. "It's cute when you Gryffindors think you can lie to a Slytherin." He said. "I watched you the entire time at the Hall. Your friends were there before you and before you entered, Diggory came in with a frown on his face. You came in and kept looking at him and since you didn't look or act like a fourteen year-old girl who just got asked to the ball by her crush, I assume something happened or you said something that must've peeved him off." Harry stared, his mouth slightly open in awe. "Cold, calculating, and harsh." Joseph repeated the words he said to Harry the night they met. "Eat, then we'll talk about it.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

Cedric just had finished walking around the entire library for the second time that night and he hadn't spotted Harry not even once. He felt bad about ignoring him the entire evening, even more so when he saw the Gryffindor leave and overhearing that he hadn't eaten a thing. But Harry told him that he would be in the library after dinner, but he was nowhere to be found. _Why would Harry lie to me? _Cedric asked himself then frowned. _Maybe he's with his special Slytherin friend._ He sat at one of the tables and rubbed his face. _Get a grip of yourself, Cedric. It's not like you two are together and by being a jerk to him, you'll just ruin any chance of becoming his friend._ He sighed and didn't notice someone sit across him. "You know if you worry too much, you'll get frown lines." A sweet voice said and Cedric saw that it was Cho and smiled. "Well, at least I'm not some Nosey Nelly who takes pride in butting into people's lives." The male said. "But you love it when I butt in." Cho said with a pout before chuckling. Cho was the only person Cedric had told about his sexuality. They dated for a while, but there was no spark between them and when Cho asked what the problem was, Cedric confessed everything to her. Luckily for the brunette, Cho was understanding and has been extremely supportive. Cedric told her everything that had happened that day. "Well, Harry's very friendly to everyone he meets, with the exception of Malfoy of course." Cho said thoughtfully. "So do you think I overreacted?" Her friend asked. "Yes Cedric Diggory, you overreacted." She replied and Cedric sighed. "He told you that this guy was a friend of Hermione's and that she had just introduced the two of them recently." She moved to sit beside her friend, who now had his face in his hands. "It's alright Ced, you'll be able to apologize soon enough. I doubt Harry's the kind of person to hold a grudge over something like this." Cedric nodded and thanked his friend before leaving to do his rounds.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

Harry had just finished explaining to Joseph what had happened between him and Cedric that day. When he was finished, he asked the other male what was wrong, and Joseph replied that he needed more information. He lied, he knew what was wrong; Cedric Diggory was jealous, but he wouldn't tell Harry that, not just yet. He brought out a small vial with navy blue liquid. "You will drink this potion, which will make you enter your mind." Joseph explained. "I will then follow and take control of what you see. I want to test you on something before we can proceed." Harry opened the vial and downed it. "_Legilimens_." Joseph said as he pointed his wand at Harry. Harry opened his eyes to see that he was surrounded by nothing except shadows. There was a cracking sound and he turned to see Joseph. "What are we going to do now?" Harry asked. "You are fully aware of what you feel, think and see." Joseph pointed out. "I will make you see things that will test you." "Test me on what?" Harry asked but the Slytherin had disappeared. The shadows around him began to shift and swirl. "What if he just went that night to apologize and nothing more?" Joseph's voice echoed and the shadows dissipated. Harry was now watching the memory of Cedric visiting him in the Hospital Wing, but something was different; there were no cards or sweets on the nightstand. Harry heard the older boy apologize and when Harry told him it was alright, he just left, no smile or wink, they didn't talk about Quidditch or the dementors. There was a pain in Harry's chest and the shadows appeared again.

"What if he didn't look at you? Didn't smile at you? What if he just ignored you?" Joseph's voice echoed and again, the shadows were gone, showing the memories of when Harry was at the Great Hall and when he passed the Hufflepuff in the corridor. Cedric didn't look up at him during meals nor did he smile at him when they passed each other. The scene shifted to when they bumped into Malfoy earlier that night. After Cedric had asked what was wrong, he left without another word. The pain in Harry's chest grew more and more. "Would you be willing to give everything for him?" The area darkened and several steps away from him, Cedric was laying on the ground. Harry wanted to run to him but felt a sudden chill, a feeling of dread. Then he saw it, a dementor was making its way towards Cedric. Harry wanted to move, but fear kept him rooted on the spot. The dementor was now hovering above Cedric. Harry screamed, brought out his wand and shot spells at the dementor, but they proved ineffective. It was now giving the older boy the Kiss and Harry fell to his knees.

He opened his eyes to see he was back in the secret room in the library. "Go ahead, jinx me if you want." Joseph said and Harry saw that the Slytherin was sitting beside him. "It wouldn't be the first time." Harry felt the tears on his cheeks and immediately wiped them away. The two stayed quiet for a while. "What was the point of all that?" Harry asked after some time. "The memories that I used, which I altered, was to see what reaction you would have to them, and you gave the right one." Joseph explained. "The one with the dementor was to see if you truly loved Cedric, and you showed me that you didn't." Harry gave him a questioning look. "If your fear for your own safety trumps your love for someone, you don't truly love them. As I have seen and observed, the people who get into relationships with whom they don't truly love, they end up with broken hearts. You should understand that until you do truly love Cedric, we won't be able to continue." Harry nodded and Joseph stood and took his bag. He looked at the Gryffindor, who was still shaking slightly, and brought out a vial with light blue liquid and handed it to Harry. "Don't worry, it's just Calming Draught." He explained and Harry downed it. "Come on, I'll walk you to your dorm."

Harry was glad there was still a lot of time before curfew, so he didn't have to rush. What he had seen scared him, more than anything. "What's your relationship with Malfoy?" He asked, trying to distract himself. "You two seem closer than housemates. And he lowered his wand after you said something to him. No one other than the teachers can get him to back down, not even the prefects." Harry glanced at the Slytherin and noticed that he was tall, shorter than Cedric, but still taller than the people in their year. "We have a…professional relationship." Joseph replied and Harry gave him a confused look. "My grandfather, Magnus Duskgem, and his grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy, were close friends during and even beyond school. They helped each other in every way possible. Before Abraxas died, he hoped that our families would be as close and loyal to each other as the two of them were." "And that still goes on until now? What if the Malfoy you're with in school is a git?" Harry asked and Joseph cracked a small smile. "My father may not have agreed with some of Lucius Malfoy's…life choices, but he remained a true and loyal friend until now. As with me; Draco may be a handful sometimes, but he's not that bad once you get to know him." Harry tried to imagine a Draco Malfoy that was easy to live with, but was impossible for him.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

Cedric had just finished his rounds and was on his way back to his dorm when he heard a laugh that he knew belonged to Harry. He peeked his head out of the corridor he was in and saw the raven walking up the staircases with a smile on his face. That smile made Cedric's heart melt countless of times before and tonight was no exception. He was about to go and talk to the younger teen when he noticed the other person with him. It was the Slytherin that had left Harry the note in the Great Hall earlier that morning, the one that got Draco Malfoy to lower his wand, and the one Harry had spoken so fondly about. He knew that it was nothing and he shouldn't get worked up, but the jealousy he felt was hard to control. Harry was nearing the portrait of the Fat Lady and Cedric knew he might not get a chance to talk to him again. He walked out of the corridor and descended the staircases.

"Good night Harry, see you soon." He heard the Slytherin say and it took all of his willpower not to hex him. "Cedric?" Harry said as he looked up the prefect. "Oh, hey Harry." Cedric replied. "Just finished my rounds. Off to bed?" Harry nodded and then looked away. Cedric's insides twisted and hurt, he wanted those green eyes to look at him, only at him. "Hey Harry, it's a Hogsmeade weekend next week. You want to hang out then?" He asked and saw the other boy frown. "I'd love to, but my relatives didn't sign my permission slip." Harry said with a sigh. "Well, I hear you have a knack for getting past the rules." Cedric said and smiled mischievously when the Gryffindor looked at him. "If you do get into Hogsmeade and want to hang out, I'll most likely be at the Three Broomsticks." Harry smiled at the older boy and Cedric ruffled the raven's hair and gave him a wink before heading for his dormitory.

**A/N: The password is a quote from Socrates. If any of you are having a hard time reading because of the lack of space between the paragraphs, I apologize. The doc manager just turns them like that when I save the files there. If anyone knows a solution to this, I would gladly appreciate the help.**


	4. Chapter 3: Playing Ghost

**Chapter 3: Playing Ghost**

In the following days, Harry and Joseph met in the secret room in the library and repeated what they had done on the first night there; Harry would tell Joseph about any interactions with Cedric that day, or how he felt or what he was thinking, then he would drink the potion again and see if he could save Cedric from the dementor. So far, all attempts have had the same result as the first night. But usually, the two would also end up talking about their own personal lives. In the last few days, Harry had learned that Joseph's father was a healer at St. Mungo's and that his mother was a member of the Wizengamot. The Slytherin shared his memories of when he was a young boy. The one Harry enjoyed the most was when Joseph went to Malfoy Manor with his mother. He and Draco were playing in Narcissa's greenhouse when the blonde pricked his finger on a rose thorn and the raven healed it and made Draco smile by casting a few spells that made the flowers move around, as if they were dancing. Harry, in turn, told Joseph about his life with the Dursleys and the Slytherin smiled when he heard about how Harry released a snake when he was eleven and that he turned his uncle's sister into a balloon. "They all deserved it." He said and Harry smiled.

It was Friday, meaning no classes the next day, and Harry had just finished another failed attempt in saving Cedric. He was getting frustrated because he was getting nowhere. "Maybe I'm not progressing because I haven't talked to Cedric for more than a few minutes." He said before downing a Calming Draught. "And what's the point? True love means trusting your entire being to that person, which makes you vulnerable. What good has it done but leave people broken and shattered?" Joseph scowled and the Gryffindor flinched. "What good has it done? True love is the reason you're still alive, Potter." He said as he approached Harry, anger was in his eyes. "Your mother and father loved you more than they feared death or You-Know-Who. Their love is the reason you survive, it's also the reason why Quirrel couldn't touch you in our first year. So tell me, do you think that giving up everything, even your life, for the one person you care for the most in the world is a stupid decision?" The two were silent; Harry stared at Jospeh. After a while, his eyes eventually returned to reflect no emotion, but Harry saw the intense rage in them and knew he had touched a sensitive subject.

"I want to try again." Harry said when Joseph had returned from the loo. "Are you sure? If you do this too much in one night, it could cause night terrors, even possible brain damage." Joseph warned and Harry nodded. He took out another vial with the navy blue liquid and handed it to Harry, who downed it immediately. When they had arrived to where Cedric was laying on the ground, Harry was able to move. He ran towards Cedric's body, desperate to get to him before the dementor. He was halfway there when the feeling of dread and cold intensified. Four more dementors appeared and headed for Cedric and Harry stopped, the faint sound of explosions ran through his ears. He looked at Cedric, the five dementors were giving him the Kiss when Harry heard his mother scream.

Harry opened his eyes and he was in the room again but this time, he was not as sad as the last time. "You've made progress." Joseph said with a nod of approval. "But I still have a long way to go right?" Harry asked and Joseph nodded. "I don't suppose you can tell me what to do next." "No. What you do concerning Cedric will either reinforce or weaken your feelings for him." Joseph said and the two gathered their stuff and walked down the corridors. "It's hard to believe that Malfoy was this sweet and innocent child." Harry said. "Well, that was a long time ago." Joseph replied. "Before I forget, I want to go into Hogsmeade tomorrow." Harry said. The Slytherin stared at him for a while before nodding. "Just make sure you don't get caught." He said and walked towards the dungeons.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

"Where've you been?" Draco asked from a couch as Joseph entered the Slytherin common room. "Look, this is more than what I got last week." Joseph looked at the coffee table; it was covered entirely by boxes of chocolates and love letters. "As much as I love watching several girls shakily give you gifts and break out in tears thereafter…" Joseph began as he sat on the lounge chair beside Draco. "The thought of being trampled by a herd of wailing cows is not so appealing." "Listen to this; _I hope you soon realize that we two were meant to be, so that, together, we may fulfil our destiny._" Draco read aloud one of the cards from a person who he'd forgotten about. "Well, do try to remember her name. It would do her and the rest of the world good to know that she has as much originality as Longbottom's toad." Joseph said and stood. "I know it's expected with my name and all, but all of this gets annoying after a while." The blonde admitted. "Then let me take care of it." The raven said. With a wave of his wand, all the cards and chocolates flew into the fireplaces, making Draco jump slightly. "Hey, I wanted to eat some of those." He complained. "You don't need the extra weight." Joseph answered evenly before heading for his room.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

Harry was now walking around Hogsmeade, taking in the sights from under his Invisibility Cloak. Fred and George had given him the Marauder's Map, which showed Hogwarts, along with all its secret passages and everyone in it. He entered the Three Broomsticks and looked around; he saw several of the older students and some of the teachers. He walked around then stopped suddenly. He was looking at Cedric, who was sitting at a table, smiling widely. But unlike the other times where his heart swelled to the point of bursting, he felt angry. Cedric was looking at the person sitting beside him, a girl from Hufflepuff. When she smiled back and placed her hand on Cedric's, Harry became angrier. He was about to bolt out of the Three Broomsticks when Cedric's eyes looked at the spot where he stood. Harry froze and wondered how long it was before the Hufflepuff gestured to the loo and excused himself. Harry entered the loo and when Cedric entered and locked the door, he removed his invisibility cloak. "Well, so that's how you've been breaking the rules." Cedric said in awe as he looked at the material. "Yeah, but I guess it's ineffective to someone like you." Harry said with a small fake smile. "Well, I should really get back to the castle. If I'm caught, I'll have detention until the end of the year." Before Harry could put on his cloak again, Cedric grabbed his hand and the anger he felt lessened. "Let's go somewhere we can talk." He said. Harry went under the cloak and Cedric led him out of the building.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

Madame Boon's Tea House was a place where people could go to and enjoy a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. It has been a favourite of many studious students as well as the teachers who want some peace a quiet after a week of teaching. Draco and Joseph were sitting at a table in the corner, discussing an essay that had been assigned while the latter read a book, when a girl approached and caught the blonde's attention. "E-E-Excuse me, b-but are you D-Draco Malfoy?" She asked. The blonde smiled and nodded while Joseph rolled his eyes at hearing the girl squeak. "W-Well, I just wanted…I mean, you're brilliant…and of course very handsome…" Joseph's face hardened and he slammed his book shut, making the two, and most of the other patrons, look at him. "We were having a conversation before you so rudely interrupted." He said and the girl looked more nervous. "I-I-I'm sorry…but I just wanted to…" She stuttered before the scowl from the raven stopped her. "You wanted to tell Draco how you felt about him, yes this has happened before. Here's the thing a lot of people like you should know; you don't have a chance, never have and never will." Joseph's harsh tone made the girl shake. "I advise you to forget and let these feelings go. If you don't, this is what will happen; you will continuously to get Draco's attention and will be hurt when you're ignored, when you see him talking to another girl, it will make you extremely jealous, and when you find out he's dating someone else, you'll be so heartbroken, you'll either let it affect your studies and social life, never love anyone else again, or kill yourself. I favour the third outcome the most for idiots like you who let their emotions rule their judgement."

The girl had run out of the building in tears and everyone stared in shock at the Slytherin, who simply returned his focus to his reading. "As much as I enjoyed that." Draco began. "Something must be wrong for you to show emotion." "Nothing's wrong, I've just had enough of people like that." His friend said. "Really, because I don't remember you ever blowing your top off for something like that." Draco pointed out. "Draco, I had to move from my favourite spot in the library so I wouldn't have to deal with shit like that anymore." Joseph stated. "I won't let that happen in my favourite building in Hogsmeade." The two stayed silent, not returning to their conversation. Draco stared at the person he spent a lot of his childhood with, concerned that something was wrong. He opened his mouth to ask, but was interrupted by someone giggling. "Oh for fuck's sake." Joseph said as he stood. He shrunk his book and placed it in his pocket, dropped some galleons on the table before telling the blonde he was going back to the castle.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

The two climbed a small hill surrounded by trees and when they got to the top, the Shrieking Shack was in clear sight. They sat and talked about how there week went. "So, who was she?" Harry asked. "The girl you were with. Were you two on a date?" Cedric looked at the younger teen for a few minutes before nodding and the Gryffindor felt a small pain in his chest. "I'm sorry if I pulled you away from it." He said softly. "No worries. I'm actually glad you came." Cedric said and smiled at the confused look Harry gave him. "The girl I was with has been asking me for months. I just said yes to get it over with." The two were now both smiling. "Worst case scenario is she spreads rumours that you can't get it up." Harry said and Cedric gave him a feigned look of shock. "Mr. Potter, how dare you use such language in front of a prefect?" He said. "Stuff it, Diggory." Harry said. "You were the one who encouraged me to break the rules and come here, remember?" The two sat in silence for a while, looking at the Shrieking Shack, and just enjoyed each other's presence.

"So, why don't you like her?" Harry asked, making the Hufflepuff look at him. "I mean, she's really pretty." "She's very pretty, also smart and funny." Cedric nodded. "But she's not the one for me." He looked at Harry and the younger teen felt his mouth go dry and felt his face heat up. "Harry, are you all right?" Cedric asked, concern was written all over his face. "You look like you have a fever." Cedric reached out his hand and before he could move, the older male's soft hands were on his neck and Harry's breath hitched and his heart beat accelerated. "You feel fine…" "Well, well, look who's here?" They heard a familiar, rage inducing voice said. "You two shopping for your dream home? A bit grand for you, isn't it, Weasel-bee? Don't your family sleep in one room?" Harry and Cedric watched the scene unfold form behind a mound of snow which was capable of hiding them. "I'll head down there and put a stop to this." Cedric said, but Harry held his hand. "I've got a better idea." He said with a mischievous smile and began making snowballs as he explained his plan to the older teen. When he finished explaining, Cedric had the same mischievous smile as him.

Harry positioned himself close to the clearing where Hermione, Ron, Draco, Crabbe and Nott. He looked at Cedric, who smiled before casting a charm on himself and turned invisible. "Filthy little mud-blood." Draco snapped and a snowball hit his face. All five of them searched where Cedric was standing, and Harry couldn't help but smile. Soon, Cedric pelted the Slytherins with snowballs. Harry pulled down Nott's wool hat and then Crabbe's pants. As Crabbe bent over, Harry gave the Slytherin a kick in the rear, earning laughs from his friends. He grabbed Nott's scarf and twirled him and let go. Seeing that Draco had fallen over, he grabbed the blonde's legs and pulled him toward the Shrieking Shack, trying hard not to laugh when he begged not to be taken there. The three Slytherins ran for the hills, and then Harry played with his friends a little before revealing himself. Hermione suggested they return to the town. Harry stayed back a few paces and when they were out of sight, he turned to where Cedric had assaulted Draco and his goons just as the spell wore off. Harry smiled and waved at him, while Cedric smiled back and winked before heading back to the town himself.


	5. Chapter 4: Under the Mistletoe

**Chapter 4: Under the Mistletoe**

An, otherwise, perfect day had been ruined by finding out not only that Sirius Black was Harry's godfather, but that he was the reason Harry's parents were dead. Harry was so angry and depressed that he ignored everyone since he got back to the castle, including Cedric. He even skipped meeting Joseph in the library and returned to his dorms and stayed there for the rest of the night. Harry woke up early the next morning, so early that the sun had only begun to rise. He sighed after trying to return to sleep and got up and headed outside. When he got to the common room, Oliver Wood had just entered. "Didn't know you were a morning person Harry." He said. "I'm not; I just fell asleep early and can't get back to bed." Harry replied. "Well if you have nothing else to do, why not go for a swim in Black Lake?" The older Gryffindor suggested. "There are only a few people up this hour and the water's not as cold as everyone thinks it would be this time of year." "What about the creatures in the lake?" Harry asked. "They don't bother anyone as long as you don't bother them." Wood pointed out. "But you don't need to be worried, as soon as stepped into this castle on your first year, a magical charm was placed on you, letting the creatures in the lake you're a Hogwarts student, knowing that they'll have to answer to Professor Dumbledore if they harm you."

Wood left to return to his room and Harry decided to go with his suggestion. After returning to his room to gather a towel, change of clothes and change into swim trunks, he walked out of the castle towards Black Lake. He found a small clearing in the middle of some trees, casted some heating charms and stripped down to his swim trunks. He ran as quick as he could towards the shore and leapt into the water. Harry found out that Wood was right; the water wasn't freezing, it wasn't even cold. It was a warm temperature, one that Harry always used after an intense training session. He submerged his head to get his hair wet then began swimming around leisurely. After a while, he found a part of the shore that had three large rocks on it. Harry went there to rest and shivered slightly when he felt the cold touch of the rock on the bare skin of his back.

Harry stayed there for a while. He had his eyes shut when he thought he heard the sound of snow being crushed under boots. He opened his eyes and looked to his left, then his right. Seeing nothing, he shut his eyes and relaxed again. He heard the noise again but this time, it repeated in quick succession and got louder and louder with every step. A few seconds after the footsteps stopped, there was a loud splash and a small wave wet the raven's hair once again. Harry wiped the water from his eyes and was ready to tell off the person, but he couldn't find the words. In front of him was a half naked Cedric Diggory, water dripped down his muscled body, his hair was mess, giving him an attractive natural look, and the sunlight on his fair skin just made him look radiant. "Hey Harry, didn't know you liked to go out for morning swims." Cedric said as he turned, smiling at the Gryffindor. "If I did, I would've invited you to come with me every other morning." "It's actually my first time. Woke up early and had nothing else to do." Harry replied with a small smile, hoping that the distance between them would suffice in hiding his growing blush. Harry let his eyes travel down and saw the brunette's well toned muscles. He bit his lower lip to keep a whimper from being released when he saw the older teen's nipples, pink and hard. _Stop looking you pervert! _He scolded himself, feeling himself get hard

Cedric went to do a couple of rounds and Harry stayed at his spot watching. Even though he didn't have the ideal build for a Seeker, Cedric was very fluid and graceful, not to mention quick. Harry shut his eyes and submerged himself, willing his erection to go away. When he resurfaced, his erection sprang back up seeing that the Hufflepuff was only a few inches away from him, his arms blocking his escape. "Cedric?" Harry said with a shaky voice. "I just thought of something that would be really fun." Cedric said and Harry felt his face get hotter. "W-What?" Harry asked. "Water fight." Cedric smiled while Harry looked confused. The brunette moved away a short distance then faced Harry. "Water fights are much more fun since we're wizards." He said and Harry nodded. "But our wands are with our clothes, how are we going to cast spells?" Harry asked. Cedric shrugged and suddenly, the raven was splashed in the face. He looked around, and then back at Cedric who was smiling. A ball of water shot up from beside him and hit Harry in the face. "No fair, I don't know how to do wandless magic." Harry complained. "Well that's too bad Potter." Cedric said and water balls began barraging Harry, who turned his back to keep his face from getting wet. He sent a makeshift wave towards the older teen, but Cedric had dove under water just in time.

The barrage had stopped and Harry frantically made his way towards to shore to get his wand. Just before he left the water, Cedric resurfaced behind him. "Where do you think you're going, Potter?" He said as he wrapped his arms around the Gryffindor's waist and pulled him into the water. The two resurfaced farther from the shore, where if Harry didn't have Cedric to hold on to, he wouldn't have been able to keep his head over the water. "How was that supposed to be fun?" Harry asked. "I said it would be really fun. I didn't say that it would be for the both of us." Cedric replied with a wide grin. "How very Slytherin of you." Harry muttered with a small smile. He realized that Cedric still had his arms wrapped around his waist and that his bare back was touching Cedric's front. "Um, Cedric, could you let go of me now?" He asked nervously. "If I do you might drown." Cedric replied with a smile. "Not my bloody fault I'm short for my age." Harry muttered. "I'll be fine."

Cedric let go and Harry sunk into the water. He had miscalculated how deep it was. As he resurfaced, Harry attached himself to the nearest thing, which was Cedric, thankful that his erection was completely gone by that time. "I thought you would be fine." Cedric said and chuckled. "Bloody git, pulling me into the deeper parts." Harry muttered his breath, making the older teen laugh more. He looked up and his heart swelled at seeing the Hufflepuff so happy and he smiled as well. Cedric looked down at him, still smiling, and Harry's heart felt like it would explode. This was the closest he'd ever gotten to Cedric and his beautiful grey eyes were now staring directly into his, he could feel Cedric's warm breath over his and it drove him mad.

He thought to pull away but the thought vanished when an arm wrapped around his waist and he felt the older boy's lips on his. Harry moaned and wasn't embarrassed on how loud it was. He had been waiting so long for this and he was glad that how it actually felt was better than how he imagined or dreamed how it was. He wrapped his arms around Cedric's neck and deepened the kiss. Cedric ran his hands over the younger teen's abdomen, eliciting a moan. Feeling confident, he slid his hand lower and lower until his hand ghosted over Harry's hardness and grasped it. Harry immediately jerked back and Cedric began to regret his action. "Harry?" He said. "I'm sorry…I just…Not." Harry didn't even bother finishing a sentence before breaking away from Cedric's grasped and swam back to the shore. "Now you've done it Diggory." Cedric said to himself out loud with a sigh as he watched Harry run up to get dressed quickly and run back to the castle.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

"YOU WHAT?!" Cho exclaimed. She and Cedric were at the owlery and her friend had just finished telling her what had happened between him and Harry that morning. "It was the heat of the moment. He was responding positively to the kissing and touching that wasn't in that area." Cedric said nervously. "Cedric, Harry's a whole lot younger than you." Cho explained "Of course he responded positively, it was a new and exciting feeling, not to mention that hormones are at a high level at his age. The reason he jerked away was you were going too fast." Cedric listened and nodded. "Before that swim this morning, the longest you two spent together was yesterday, and majority of it was spent torturing Malfoy. And Harry's thirteen, Ced, I doubt that he's ready for a physical relationship, much less a physically intimate experience." Cedric rubbed his face and sighed, knowing that his friend was right. "What do I do?" He asked. "Give Harry some space for now. After a week or two, go and apologize." Cho adivised him to do and they both walked back to the castle.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

It had been a week since Harry's interaction with Cedric at Black Lake and ever since, his dreams consisted of the Hufflepuff kissing and touching him where he'd never had been before, making the Gryffindor writhe with pleasure and moan his name. One night, Ron woke him up saying that he was saying someone's name. Thankfully it was extremely incoherent and Ron thought it had something to do with Voldemort. His meetings with Joseph in the library had yielded the same result where Harry stopped halfway there. He asked why that was despite the fact that they had kissed and Harry had loved it. "The same reason why you pulled away." Was the Slytherin's reply. Harry still wasn't sure what he truly felt for Cedric. Joseph seemed more closed off recently and Harry wanted to ask why, but knew he wouldn't be told the answer. Also, the rumour that he had made a second-year cry when she disturbed him and Draco while they were having a conversation made him decide that the Slytherin needed to cool off first.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting at the Great Hall, which was now beautifully decorated and a huge tree towered at the corner. "Did you hear Fred and George are helping decorate the castle?" Ron asked his friends. "Knowing those two, they're up to something." Hermione stated. "Right as always, Ms. Granger." Fred said as he sat down beside her. "But as a Christmas gift, we'll tell you lot about it." George added as he sat beside Harry and brought out a mistletoe decoration. "Along with the decorations Professor McGongall gave us, we added several of these around the castle, some hanging and the rest floating around." "See if you and another person are caught under this at the same time, you're both stuck in a small area around the mistletoe facing each other." Fred continued. "You both can still move around as long as you work in unison." "So how do you get out?" Ron asked. "I thought it would've been obvious, little brother." George said. "But it seems we've overestimated your thinking capacity." Fred added and earned laughs from Harry and Hermione. "There are only two ways to break the spell; one is if either of us cancels the spell on the mistletoe. Can you guess the other?" He looked at Harry, whose eyes widened and a small blush appeared on his cheeks. "You have to kiss the person who's stuck with you." He said and the twins nodded.

"Weasley!" a voice shouted and the five of them, as well as the rest of the Great Hall, turned to see Professor Snape sneering at the twins. "I believe this is your doing." Everyone looked to see Joseph and Draco facing each other, a mistletoe hovering above their heads. Draco had a blank face and wasn't complaining, which was strange sight for Harry, but Joseph's face was construed with annoyance. Harry was sure everyone wanted to laugh at the Slytherins, but wouldn't dare with their Head present and in a very foul mood. "Professor, it's all in good fun." George said with a smile. "Also, Professors Flitwick and Dumbledore have allowed us to use these." Fred added. "Be that as it may, if the two who are trapped do not want to kiss each other then they are forever trapped." Snape pointed out, his voice as cold as snow. "Like we said professor, it's all in good fun. Why don't you're students be good sports for once and give each other an early Christmas present?" Fred suggested.

Joseph scowled at the twins, took out his wand and set the centrepiece in the middle of the five Gryffindors on fire. "Undo the charm Weasly, or my next spell will do worse than just make you jump." He said. "Professor, he just used a spell offensively and threatened to use another, more harmful spell." Hermione said. "I'm sorry Ms. Granger, but I don't recall you being a part of this conversation." Snape said. "Five points from Gryffindor for sticking your nose into other people's business." He then looked at the twins with the same blank expression. Fred muttered something under his breath before pointing his own wand at the mistletoe. He said a few words and the mistletoe dropped to the floor. Harry watched as Joseph stormed out of the Great Hall. "And that's twenty-five more points from Gryffindor for challenging an order from a teacher." Snape said before he and Draco left the Great Hall as well. "Bloody gits." George said before sitting back down. "Well if you want someone who can suck the fun out of something, you can be sure they're going to be from Slytherin." Fred pointed out. "I just don't understand why he has to take points." Hermione sighed. "'Mione, the day Snape goes a day without taking points from Gryffindor is the day I'll make out with Malfoy in front of the whole school." Harry pointed out and the Gryffindors returned to their happy moods.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

After dinner, Harry headed for the library for his sessions with Joseph. What he hated about being alone was there was no one to distract him from thinking about Cedric. He was about to turn at the corner when someone bumped into him. "Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't see you." _Of course it's Cedric. _Harry thought with a sigh. "It's alright, no harm done." "Harry listen, about that morning." Cedric began. "I just wanted to apologize. I was being too quick and didn't take your feelings into account." Harry didn't know what to say; he wanted Cedric to do what he wanted to so badly, but his unsure feelings for the older teen didn't want to make him do things that they may end up regretting. But seeing Cedric like this, apologizing for doing something he had wanted to do for who knows how long because he was concerned about Harry's feelings, it made the raven happy inside.

Suddenly, there was a faint bell sound, and the two looked around to see what it was. Harry looked up and sighed at seeing one of the twin's mistletoes. "I guess I don't blame you for not saying anything." Cedric said sadly. "Come on, let's get Fred and George to dispel this thing." Harry didn't mean to send the wrong message to Cedric and he couldn't think of anything that would explain his situation. But if he didn't act now, he'd lose any hope of getting together with Cedric. Just before the prefect could cast a spell to call the Weasleys, Harry wrapped his arms around the Hufflepuff's neck and pulled him into a kiss. Cedric immediately wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and deepened the kiss. The two slowly pulled away and stared at each other. The two looked up when the sound of a tiny bell was heard and saw the mistletoe blink red and float away.

They returned to look at each other and smiled. "I thought you hated me for moving too fast." Cedric said. "I could never hate you. " Harry replied softly as he held the older male's face gently. "Listen Cedric, I do have strong feelings for you, but I'm not completely sure about what it is. And until then, I don't think I'll be ready to be in a relationship with you, physical or otherwise. I guess what I'm trying to say is, will you wait for me?" Cedric kissed Harry on the lips and pulled away shortly after. "I'd wait ten lifetimes for you, Harry Potter." He said and the two of them smiled. An owl suddenly swooped in and dropped a letter over Harry, who caught it. It read;

_Not in the mood to see anyone else today. See you tomorrow._

_-J.D._

Harry sympathized for the Slytherin, having to be one of the first victims of the twin's holiday prank. He also made a mental note to thank them one day. "Who's it from and what does it say?" Cedric asked. "Oh, nothing important, but I'm free for the rest of the night." Harry replied. "Well, why don't we go up to the Astronomy tower?" Cedric suggested. "We could look at the stars, talk. Maybe, even cuddle together underneath a blanket." "I thought I just said that I wasn't ready for a relationship." Harry said, but the idea sounded appealing. "Well, just because you go on a date with someone doesn't automatically mean you're in a relationship with them." Cedric explained, obviously trying to get the Gryffindor to say yes. "I mean, you do go on several dates with a person before saying that you're in a relationship with them." "Well since you put it that way, I'd be happy to." Harry replied with a smile and the two of them headed for the Astronomy tower, dodging Peeves and Filch on the way.


	6. Chapter 5: Christmas Shopping

**A/N: I apologize for the delay. I got really busy really fast and the work just keeps piling. I hope I'll be able to reduce the workload soon and I'll try to update again soon. So thank you all for your patience and enjoy.**

**Chapter 5: Christmas Shopping**

In the past few days, Harry had a smile on his face the entire day, from when he woke up to going to bed. Hermione was glad, but it slightly unnerved Ron. His sessions with Joseph had yielded him getting closer to Cedric, but not close enough to reach him. "Hermione said you cancelled your plans to return home for me." Harry said. "To be honest, it'll just be boring at home." Joseph replied. "The most annoying part of returning home is Christmas day; mother and father watch while I open the dozens of presents from them and my relatives and take pictures, as if I were a child." Harry chuckled at the thought. "Hermione and Ron are going home for Christmas. The quiet common room will be a nice change and we can hang out, you know, without you trying to make me die of depression." He suggested and the corner of Joseph's lip curled into a smile. "That's a good idea, but I'm sure there's someone else you'd rather spend time with." The Slytherin stated and Harry looked at him with a confused expression. "You'll find out soon enough." They exited the corridor out to the staircases. They headed up towards the portrait of the Fat Lady when Cedric met them on one of the platforms. He smiled at Harry and gave an even look to Joseph, who gave an emotionless gaze to the Hufflepuff. "I'll see you around, Harry." Joseph said and turned to head towards the dungeons.

"Hey." Cedric said once the Slytherin was out of sight. "Hey." Harry replied with a smile. The two just looked at each other while smiling for a few minutes before walking up the staircases. "What're your plans for the holidays?" Cedric asked. "If you're asking if I'm going anywhere, no." Harry replied. "Great, me too." Cedric said with a smile and Harry smiled, realizing what Joseph had meant earlier. "So, we'll be spending Christmas and New Year's with each other." Harry stated and smiled. He and Cedric spent more time together; studying in the library, walking with each other to classes or the Great Hall, and having secret meetings in the Astronomy tower every other night. "So the weirdest thing happened the other day." Cedric said as he walked with Harry up the staircases. "I was on the seventh floor, chasing some troublemakers who stole some potions from Professor Snape's stores. I had lost them and I needed to find them. I turned a corner and saw this large, wooden double door which I had never seen or heard about. I opened it and the entire room was dark. My brain was telling me I should go find a teacher, but something told me I needed to go in. So I did and I walked a few steps before a faint light appeared at the end. The closer I got, I heard whispering and when I got to the end, it was the students I was chasing." "You found a secret passage that lead you to the troublemakers. Seems like a normal day at Hogwarts to me." The Gyffindor said with a smile. "Let me finish." Cedric said. "When we left the room, we got out of the broom closet near the entrance to the corridor. And when I went back in, the passage way I used was gone, it was solid wall. The double doors were gone too."

The two walked in silence for a while, both thinking about what the doors Cedric saw could be. "That is weird, even for me." Harry admitted. "Well, then I've completed my qualifications and earned the right to join you and your team when you go and break the rules." Cedric stated with a toothy grin. "Sorry, there are no vacancies at the time, nor will there be soon." The two arrived in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady and faced each other, smiling and loving every second they were with one another. "So, I'll ask Hermione about the doors." Harry said. "If she doesn't know about it, then we're probably hopeless." "Yeah, I heard she read Hogwarts: A History over fifteen times by now." Cedric said, his eyes reflecting Harry's own smile. "It's fifty actually. If you're going to bring up Hermione's psychotic love for studying, then get your facts straight." The raven replied and Cedric burst out laughing. "See you tomorrow." With that, he gave Harry a quick kiss on the cheek and headed for his own dormitory.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

Draco hated and loved the dungeons at winter. He loved it because even with the common room's many fireplaces, it was still a freezing hell and majority of the house members left for the holidays, and the certain few who could tolerate it had a peaceful holiday ahead of them. It's not like the Slytherins were loud and rowdy like the Gryffindors, they just talked about more serious topics which induces some stress like Blaise talked about his family and politics, Crabbe and Goyle talked about things that were so stupid, Draco got a headache trying to understand. The two were not stupid, they excelled in things other than academics, but keeping the stupid act up had its advantages. And Pansy talked about her love life, big surprise, which was important to the girls, apparently, but it just annoyed the hell out of the boys. Draco hated the dungeons in winter because it was a freeing hell. He swears that he'd probably die of hypothermia if he fell asleep without casting some heating charms. So now, he was risking becoming a Popsicle because he was obsessed with getting an answer. Just as he thought how stupid the idea was, he heard footsteps. He began becoming nervous because if this was not the person he was waiting for, then it could end badly for him. The footsteps got closer and mustering all the courage he had, Draco shut his eyes and walked into the corridor, bumped into someone and heard a faint bell sound.

"What are you doing out here?" A familiar, quiet voice said and Draco let out the breath he was holding. He opened his eyes to see Joseph's face, his expressionless stare and thin right eyebrow raised, indicating he was confused. "Look up." Draco said and the taller teen's face scowled when he saw the infamous mistletoe. "That doesn't answer my question." The taller Slytherin stated, still scowling at the floating piece of foliage. "I want to know why you were so adamant about not kissing me when I said it was fine." Draco said as he crossed his arms. The taller Slytherin remained quiet and slowly lowered his gaze to the blonde. His face remained expressionless and his eyes reflected no emotion. To everyone else, they wouldn't be able to figure out what the taller teen was feeling in a million years. But Draco knew the truth; Joseph was thinking. To be specific, he was thinking of a way to get out of this situation. Every time the raven was confronted about things he was uncomfortable talking about, he would think and find a way out of it. It was a defence mechanism of his and unfortunately, he was being confronted by the one person who knew his way around it. "You're shivering. How long have you been out here?" Joseph finally asked. "Don't try to change the subject." Draco said immediately. "Answer my question." "Stubborn as always." Joseph muttered. "I didn't kiss you because I was being forced to." Draco's face softened but held his gaze. "Explain." He said in a quiet voice. "The bloody mistletoe those Weasels charmed." Joseph began. "The only way out was to kiss each other and you know more than anyone when it comes to my personal life, I hate being told what to do." "If I'm not mistaken…" Draco said. "You're saying that you would've kissed me if nothing or no one was making you do it?"

The simple action of the raven's eyes widening made Draco realize he was right. The faint blush creeping onto the taller teen's cheeks only helped the blonde find out he was correct. Draco took out his wand, pointed it upward and muttered a few words, and the mistletoe fell to the floor. Draco thought that Joseph would've stormed away, but he didn't, he remained rooted to the spot. "Yes, I would've kissed you; if the only person who was making me do it was me." Joseph finally replied, but his voice was softer and he wouldn't meet Draco's eyes. The blonde reached out to hold the other's hand, but the raven walked around him, toward their common room. He wasn't even rushing, Draco could've caught up to him, but he didn't go after him because everything finally clicked; he now knew why his friend stopped hanging out in the common room with him since the girls started giving him gifts, he realized why he burnt all the gifts he got the other night, and he figured out the reason why he exploded at Madame Boon's Tea House that day in Hogsmeade.

**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

"I'm sorry Harry, I've never read anything about a large pair of wooden doors on the seventh floor corridor that appears and disappears, and I've looked through books about Hogwarts and nothing like it comes up." Hermione said. "Yeah mate and you don't see it on the Marauder's Map." Ron said as he placed more of his shirts into his suitcase. "And Fred and George have never come across it and they probably know Hogwarts better than all of the seventh years. They stayed up there for a straight hour and found nothing." "Even for Hogwarts, this is kind of strange." Harry admitted and his friends agreed. "Maybe it's for prefects and teachers?" "If it is, then Diggory should've found it again after catching the brats. Kudos to them for getting in and out of Snape's territory without being hexed." Ron said. "I just wish I could research more before leaving." Hermione said. The students going home for the holidays were leaving the next day and when something like this came up, Hermione really liked to get into it. "Harry, are you sure you're going to be alright staying here? You could go with Ron or come with me. It would be short notice, but I'm sure my parents would be more than happy to have you." "Thanks Hermione, but I'll be fine." Harry replied with a smile. None of them have gotten over the fact the Sirius Black is Harry's godfather and he was touched at how concerned they were. "Come on Hermione." Ron said as he locked up his trunk. "Where are you guys going?" Harry asked. "It's the last trip to Hogsmeade before the winter break." Hermione explained. "I want to get my parents' gifts." "Me too." Ron chimed in. "I'm hoping something from Zonko's will cheer my dad up. Everything's been really tense at the Ministry." Harry nodded and recalled that he and Cedric were going to spend Christmas together, and debated whether or not to get the older teen a gift. It wouldn't be too soon because by Christmas, they would have been dating for half a month. Then there's the issue of what gift to buy.

"I'm coming with you guys." He finally said. "Harry, you got lucky the last time." Hermione said. "Come on 'Mione, giver Harry this one." Ron said. The brunette looked at her two friends before sighing and giving in. Just as the three were about to leave, Scabbers escaped from Ron's grip and ran out the door, making the redhead follow. Before Harry could chase after them, Hermione shut the door and fixed a glare at the raven. "Alright, why do you want to go into Hogsmeade, especially with Black still out there." She asked. Harry looked at his friend and realized that he wouldn't be able to get out of this one, so he finally confessed and told Hermione everything. He expected Hermione to have a negative reaction to the news, but Harry was usually wrong when it came to the brains of their trio, and now was no exception. "So that's where you've been sneaking off to at night." She said. "Ron and I thought you went looking for Black." "You're not shocked?" Harry asked. "I had my theories, but I would still love you even if you liked centaurs." Hermione replied and hugged her friend. "Even if you liked Malfoy. I'd say you were insane, but I'd be happy for you." Harry rolled his eyes and took out his Invisibility Cloak from his trunk. "What're you going to get Cedric?" "I don't know." Harry replied with a sigh. He'd been trying to figure out something but has failed in all attempts. "Well, consider Cedric's likes and interests." Hermione suggested. Cedric was interested in many things and that made Harry grow more frustrated. "Let's just walk around. You'll know the perfect gift when you see it." Hermione encouraged and the two got up to get Ron.

Hogsmeade was more crowded than usual, probably because it was the last visit of the winter. They had walked past several shops and Harry had bought some things for Cedric, like a green sweater, and a kit to maintain and polish his broomstick. Harry merely rolled his eyes at Hermione's comment when he bought it. She may have been the responsible one, but she could tease the boys whenever she wanted to. The three had passed more shops since buying the kit, but nothing still caught his attention as the perfect gift. He was about to give up and get Cedric some more Quidditch supplies, a small building caught his eye; it was small and the paint outside had faded. The letter on the sign hanging over the door was hard to read but as he approached, Harry realized it was due to the letters being covered in rust. On the outside, the shop looked like it was the last place anyone would visit in Hogsmeade. But Harry looked inside and stood in awe as he saw several glass displays and shelves filled with the finest jewellery he'd ever seen. "Are you dating someone, Harry?" Ron asked as he and Hermione approached. "Oh Ronald, there are some things in there for boys." Hermione immediately said. "Like those pocket watches." "Why would Harry want a pocket watch?" Ron asked. "Well, I personally think having a pocket watch makes someone look more dignified." Hermione returned. Like with all shops, Hermione and Ron entered first with Harry following close behind under the Cloak. The store had a wide selection of items from rings to bracelets to necklaces, even tiaras, each with a different gem, some even having several. Harry didn't think Cedric was the kind of person who liked or wore jewellery, but something drew him here, something told him he'd find the perfect gift here.

"Ah, customers." A cheerful voice said and the trio looked to see an old man coming out of the door behind the counter. His smile was as bright as his wares and his brown eyes twinkled like the gems on display. "See anything you like? Perhaps a ring for the lovely lady?" "No, we're not a couple." Hermione said, looking away from Ron. "My apologies." The old man said. "I may still be able to create such beauties, but my eyesight is not what it used to be. I'm Gavin Trent and welcome to my shop." All three of them stared in awe at the thought that this old man made all of these amazing pieces of jewellery. "I apologize for how the shop looks from the outside; I was never good at cleaning charms." Mr. Trent said. "My sons usually did those charms and they have already left to pursue their own careers." Hermione was perusing a shelf when she bumped into Harry. "Sorry" Harry whispered. "But I think I found it." Hermione looked at the shelf in front of her and saw what Harry was referring to. In the middle of several shelves showing of rings, earrings and bracelets with diamonds, rubies and sapphires, were two simple rings; one was made of silver and the other of gold, both sporting a nearly translucent stone. "I thought you were a peculiar girl." Mr. Trent said as he approached Hermione. "Not surprised that a peculiar item like that caught your eye." "How is it peculiar?" Hermione asked. "As you can see, most of the gems here have very rich and vibrant colours, this one does not." The old man explained as he took out the rings and put one on. "It is because it can turn into whatever colour its owner want." To prove his point, he raised his finger with the ring on it and the gem turned a bright blue, then fiery red, and slowly to a soft shade of green.

"But there's more to it than that." Mr. Trent said and asked Hermione to wear the other ring. _It has a special ability._ Hermione heard Mr. Trent say but his lips didn't move one inch. "If someone else has it, you can speak to each other with your minds? How?" Hermione asked. "I'm not sure how exactly." The shopkeeper said as he removed the ring. "But I first found out about it a few days after my supplier brought it to me along with the other gems. I was sitting in the living room, holding a piece of it, wondering what I should make with it. My youngest was sitting in front of the fireplace with another piece. He loved colours and was so excited when I told him that the stone he was holding could turn into any colour." Harry smiled at hearing Mr. Trent reminisce about fond memories of his son. "I was struggling and then I heard my son, babble about several things. I asked him to keep quiet, but he told me he hadn't said a word. When I told him what I heard him say, he said he didn't say those things, he thought them. I began researching and all I've found is that witches and wizards used them as means of communication when muggles were hunting them down. This way was easier and less obvious."

Just then the door opened and a familiar rage inducing face appeared. "What are you doing here, Weasley? Seeing if you can get a job polishing the wares?" Draco asked mockingly. "I suppose it's the only way you'll be able to get to hold something like these in your lifetime." Ron and Hermione glared at the Slytherin and his goons. Harry was contemplating whether or not to drag Draco back towards the Shrieking Shack, when the door opened again and another Slytherin entered. "Ah, Joseph my boy, good to see you." Mr. Trent said as he shook the teen's hand. "Likewise Mr. Trent. I'm here to pick up the package for my parents." Joseph said and the old man asked him to come to the counter. Joseph looked at Hermione and Ron. Harry thought that the Slytherin looked different, but he couldn't figure out what. He was also surprised to see that Draco had quieted down and his focus was no longer on his friends, but on his housemate. Joseph gave a nod to Crabbe and Goyle, then looked at Draco for a while and then nodded as well before approaching the counter. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle left and although he was glad about that, Harry wondered why it felt like the temperature of the room dropped several degrees when the two Slytherins looked at each other. "There you are my boy." Mr. Trent said as he re-emerged from the back room, two boxes in his hands. "Your parents really make me work for it, don't they." "Well just imagine if you were their son." Joseph replied with a smile. He took out a fairly large pouch filled with galleons and handed it to Mr. Trent. "Thank you again. I'll give my parents your greetings." Joseph left, leaving Mr. Trent alone with the Gryffindors again. "Such a nice young man. His parents may only place an order at least five times a year, but they demand my best." Mr. Trent said. "What was that about sir?" Hermione asked. "Oh, Joseph's father has been a long time customer of mine." Mr. Trent explained. "Ever since he met his wife while they were in Hogwarts, he's always come to me for custom made jewellery." Just then, Harry had an idea and leaned forward to whisper in Hermione's ear. "Mr. Trent, I'd like to know if I placed an order today, would it be ready by Christmas day." The brunette asked. "Well it depends on what you want, my dear." Mr. Trent asked as he stroked his chin. "I could make a simple ring within a few hours." Harry gave the go signal and Hermione asked for a piece of paper to write down the order. "Well, I believe I can make this by Christmas. What address shall I send it to?" "A snowy owl will come in the morning to pick it up." Hermione replied. Harry discreetly handed Hermione a large pouch of galleons and the three went on their way after the old man thanked them.


End file.
